


Hey Brother

by orphan_account



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Non-Linear Narrative, Other characters appear but not for long, i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:42:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21536167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Hermes and Persephone through the ages
Relationships: Hermes & Persephone (Hadestown)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 18





	Hey Brother

_Millennia ago_

"Did I ever tell you about how I took Apollo's cattle?" Hermes asks Persephone.

She shakes her head and touches a wilting rose, restoring it to full bloom. They're walking together, in a forest, chatting about whatever comes to mind.

Persephone is hiding from Demeter. She loves her mom, she really does, but the goddess is overbearing at the best of times. Persephone needs her space sometimes. Hermes had found her roaming around the woods, and instead of ratting her out, he'd just joined her. 

"Well," Hermes says, "When I was only a day old, I managed to steal Apollo's sacred cows and cover my tracks by reversing the direction of their footprints so they all led back to the farm. It took him a few days to figure out it was me who took them, at which point I'd already eaten a fair amount.”

"What'd he do?" Persephone asks, generously curious. It's common knowledge that Apollo has a fiery temper. She can't see how Hermes managed to get out of that.

"Of course he tried to report me to Zeus. But I made a deal with him. The cattle for his musical instruments."

"You mean, you made those? The lyre and the syrinx?" Persephone is surprised. From what she's seen, Hermes isn't very musically inclined.

"Yep. In fact I-" A loud voice interrupts Hermes' sentence.

"Persephone," Demeter's yells from somewhere in the forest, "Persephone, where are you?"

"That's my cue to leave." Hermes smiles, and then he's gone.

Persephone sighs and gets ready for a lecture. "Right here Mom," she calls out.

_Now_

"I feel for the boy," Persephone says, throwing back another shot, "It was a rotten situation."

Hermes sighs, "It always is," He mutters, 'Sometimes I wonder-" He cuts himself off.

"What?" Persephone asks, but Hermes just pretends not to hear. She picks up another shot glass and asks, "How are you holding up? I know you took Orpheus in when he was a child. It must be hard to see how this is affecting him."

Hermes gives her a pained smile, "It's nothing I haven't seen before. Maybe it'll turn out next time."

Persephone wants to ask what he means, but she gets the feeling that he'll just give more cryptic answers. 

"You know," She says after a few minutes pass, "You didn't actually answer my question. How are you?"

Hermes turns away, pretending to clean a spot on the counter. And that's the end of the conversation.

_Millennia ago_

"Troy will fall," Hermes says to her, appearing out of nowhere.

Persephone doesn't know what he’s talking about. Troy does not exist. Will not exist for a while yet. And the events leading up to the Trojan War are far from being set in motion. But she just stays silent and waits for Hermes to continue.

"People will die. On both sides of the battlefield. From slaughter and plague. The war will leave scars for centuries to come." Hermes looks almost distressed. It’s strange, Persephone has never seen him even the slightest bit worried about anything.

“If you know what’s coming, can’t you prevent it?”

“No,” Hermes says, “There’s nothing I can do. The story is already written.”

_Now_

Persephone steps off the train station, lugging her suitcase behind her. Hermes is standing there. Waiting for her, as he always does.

“You’re late.” He says.

Persephone bites back the retort on the tip of her tongue and just walks past him, heading to his bar. She can’t help but feeling that she’s done this all before.

As Persephone walks into the bar, she sees that it’s crowded with people. Well, the more the merrier. She spots Orpheus, sitting somewhere in the corner. He’s talking to a girl and he looks like a boy in love.

For some reason, she recognizes that look. Which is odd because Persephone knows for a fact that Orpheus has never been in love before. He’s young, after all.

Hermes pours Persephone a drink. She takes it and asks, “Has this happened before?” She gestures to the surrounding area, trying to convey what she means.

“No.” Hermes says. But even though he’s always been crafty, he’s never been much good at lying to her.

_Millennia ago_

“Tell me a story.” Persephone says. She’d tracked Hermes down to this small, newly created island, and is standing next to him.

Hermes just gestures to the sky. Up there, she can see the figures of two men. No. A man and a boy. They’re both wearing wings, and they seem transparent, as if they’re not truly there.

“What-” Persephone asks. Hermes just holds up a hand, not looking away from the sky.

Suddenly one of them, the boy, starts rising. He flaps his wings and rises, higher and higher, until one might think him a god from below. The sound of laughter reaches Persephone, joyful and young. But then it cuts off abruptly, and the boy is falling. Spiraling down and down as the man watches in horror. As he hits the ocean, he disappears. The man also fades from view.

Persephone and Hermes sit in silence for minutes, hours, days. Time passes strangely now, at the beginning of the world.

“Who were they?” Persephone finally asks.

“Icarus. And his father, Daedalus.”

“Why did you show me this?”

Hermes just shrugs. They return to silence.

_Now_

“How many times has this happened?” Persephone asks.

Hermes’ hand stills in his writing, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t try to deceive me Hermes, I know you.”

Hermes sighs and turns around, leaving the menu half-unfinished. “I’ve lost count.”

“Why do you let it continue. If you know what’s going to happen then stop it.”

“I can’t.” Hermes says.

Persephone makes a decision then, “I’ll help you.”

_Millennia ago_

Hermes hasn’t talked to her for a long time. Nor Persephone to him. That’s why she’s so surprised when he arrives next to her and just starts speaking.

Persephone interrupts him as he’s recounting the story of Arachne, the woman who dared to challenge Athena and win. “Why don’t you tell me happy stories anymore?”

“They don’t last,” Hermes replies, “Tragedy is what survives. I know that now.”

That doesn’t sound right. Or at least, it doesn’t sound like how things _should_ be. But before Persephone can respond, Hermes is gone.

_Now_

“Hades can’t remember,” Persephone says, “He always does the same thing. And nothing I say or do stops him.”

“It’s the way of the world,” Hermes replies, he looks tired, “It doesn’t like change.”

There’s the sound of a train whistle in the distance, Persephone looks up in shock, “That wasn’t six months.”

Hermes sighs, “It never is.”

_Millennia ago_

“Hermes,” Persephone says, “I met someone.”

She doesn’t know why she’s telling him. Except for the fact that aside from her mom, Hermes is the person that Persephone is closest to. And there’s no way she could tell Demeter about this.

Hermes looks up, “Really. What’s their name?”

“Hades,” Persephone replies, it feels like a song in her mouth, “His name is Hades.”

“The Lord of the Underworld?” Hermes asks. But he doesn’t look judgmental, just curious.

“Yes,” Persephone replies, “He sang me the most beautiful song, and he offered to take me with him.”

“Will you go?”

“I-,” Persephone pauses, “I think so.”

_Now_

Persephone can feel it when Orpheus turns back. She thinks Hermes can too.

“What do we do now?” She asks him.

Hermes looks at her. She can see how weary he is, down to his bones. But behind his eyes, there’s only fire, “We try again.”

_Millennia ago_

“You’re back.” Hermes says. He looks surprised.

“Yep,” Persephone replies, “For six months every year, I get to come back up.”

“How's the Underworld?” Hermes sits down beside her.

“It’s dark. Much darker than it gets up here, even at night. And it’s cold, freezing cold. I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

“But you’re happy.” Hermes says.

It’s not a question, but Persephone answers anyway. “Yes,” She says, “I’m happy.”

_Now_

Persephone has no idea how many cycles they’ve been through. No matter what they do, it always goes the same. Eurydice goes to Hadestown and Orpheus follows. He sings his song and Hades gives them their test. Orpheus turns back.

She doesn’t understand how Hermes can bear it. To see the same thing over and over. To know that nothing he does affects the outcome.

Persephone asks him once, in the time between the turn and the beginning. “Don’t you ever want to give up?”

“Do you remember Pandora’s box?” Hermes answers her question with a question.

“Yes.” Persephone says, though she doesn’t see what that has to do with it.

“Do you ever wonder why hope was in that box in the first place? When we both know Zeus wouldn’t have allowed it in,” Hermes continues speaking before Persephone can answer, “It’s because despair brings hope. I know that now.”

_Millennia ago_

“I’m thinking of settling down somewhere.” Hermes tells her. They’re sitting at the top of a mountain, watching the sunset. In a week, Persephone will return to the Underworld, where she won’t see Hermes for six months.

“You? The god of travelers?” 

Hermes laughs, “I know. It seems silly. But I’m getting tired.”

“What would you do.” Persephone asks.

“Maybe open a bar. I could set up near the new railroad line to Hades. Then we could see more of each other.”

Persephone smiles, she’s glad to know that Hermes misses her as well.

“So,” Hermes looks at her, “What do you think?”

“I’d like that.” Persephone smiles.

Hermes smiles back.

_Now_

Orpheus plays his song. Hades and Persephone dance. From out of the corner of her eye, Persephone sees Hermes. They both know what’s about to happen.

“I’ll let you go,” Hades says to Orpheus, “But there’s a condition. You must walk in front, and her behind. And if you turn around, she returns here.”

Each time, Persephone stands by and watches this happen. Each time, she hopes that Orpheus won’t look back. And each time he does.

Persephone is tired of it. “No.” She says.

Hades turns to her, “What do you mean ‘no’?” He’s getting angry again, closing himself off, but Persephone doesn’t back down.

“This isn’t fair. Your test is not for both of them.”

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the Fates whisper. Things are changing and they do not like it.

“She’s right.” A voice calls out. Persephone turns to see that Hermes has made himself visible to everyone else. He gives her a small smile.

“Mr. Hermes?” Orpheus looks confused.

“That’s me.” Hermes replies.

“What-” Orpheus starts, but Hades interrupts.

“Fine. You two may leave hand in hand. But any outside assistance,” He looks at Hermes, “And _both_ of you are here to stay.”

Orpheus and Eurydice nod and start on their journey. Persephone looks over at Hades, “Thank you,” She says. Hades just nods.

Hours pass, Persephone waits. Then suddenly she _knows_. They’ve succeeded.

Persephone looks over at Hermes and sees him smiling for the first time since… she can’t recall.

“They made it,” He whispers, “They both made it.”

“They did.” She grins. They both start laughing then, elated.

Persephone looks over at Hades, he seems lost, just sitting there, watching her and Hermes. She walks over and grabs his hand, “Let me tell you a story.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please kudos/comment if you liked this :). Also my Hadestown sideblog is dryad-eurydice if anyone wants to come talk with me about Hadestown.


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